• Report on Norwegian short selling activity stock market development trends 2019-20.
• To help prevent market abuse, aid intervention in serious threat to financial stability.
• Provides short positions data insights from register at aggregate level, includes below 0.5%; these are large proportion of total reported positions, data not available before.
• Temporary lower reporting reduction threshold 16 March 2020 increased available data.
• Common European regulations are (EU) no. 236/2012, Norwegian law from January 2017.

Key Points

• Lifespan generally short, foreign position holders dominant, number, size, distribution across sectors/segments differs, shares sold short/short positions increased in Covid.
• Increase time lag following oil price fall at end February and March 2020, shares sold short/ number of positions reversed to lower level than before oil price fall in mid Jun-Jul.
• Share of positions including 0.1%/up to 0.2% as share total up after 16 March 2020.